Iron Mountain ski jump

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

JOYFULLY SUBVERSIVE 2-1-17

CHRIST IN WINTER:
Reflections on Faith For the Years of Winter…

I was distraught recently
when the IU men’s basketball team lost to Northwestern, but I could not help
being happy for the NW folks. They were so happy at their victory. Not
gloating, nor even gleeful, but joy-full. NW basketball folks have had to be
good losers for a long time; now they are good winners.

There’s not much of that
these days. Current political winners are so joyless. They laugh occasionally,
but only at the misfortunes of others. They gloat, but there’s no joy for them,
because they think winning is about power to be greedy, to be unkind to others,
to be mean and not be accountable for their meanness. That’s a sure recipe for
non-joy. Their victories are such glum and grim affairs.

I think that a sure sign
of the presence of God is the presence of joy. These days the joy is in
subverting the power of those who are unjust and immoral. There’s no point in
subverting injustice and immorality if you can’t have fun doing it. Well,
actually there is, but it’s more fun if you have a song to sing…

I sing it to the tune of
R. Kelso Carter’s “Standing on the
Promises,” a hymn perhaps unknown to some Christians who are better known
for “sitting on the premises.” [Old
preacher joke. I can resist any temptation except a bad joke.] Since it is
traditional to note the biblical foundations for hymns, I have done so, line by
line. Happy February, by the way.

JOYFULLY SUBVERSIVE

Joyfully subversive as we
laugh and sing [Judges
5:21.]

To the work of God divine
our gifts we bring [John
9:4.]

Carried to the righteous
fray upon God’s wing [Isaiah
40:31.]

Joyfully subverting as we
go. [Romans
12:2.]

CHORUS

Joyful! Subversive!

Let us join our voices in
God’s loving song [I
John 4:8.]

Subversive! Joyful!

Standing firm against
injustice we are strong [I
Cors. 16:13.]

VERSE 2

Subverting hate and
prejudice with love divine [Romans
8:38-39.]

Offering to each hopeful
mouth the bread and wine [Luke
22:19.]

With god’s children
everywhere we shall dine [Mark
2:16.]

Joyfully subverting as we
go [Romans
12:2.]

CHORUS

Joyful! Subversive!

Let us join our voices in
God’s loving song [I
John 4:8.]

Subversive! Joyful!

Standing firm against
injustice we are strong [I
Cors. 16:13.]

VERSE 3

Joyfully subversive we
stand with the poor [Matthew
25:31-46.]

And beat our fists against
oppression’s heavy door [Galatians
3:1.]

We’ll sing and work until
injustice is no more [Isaiah
11:6. Amos 5:24.]

Joyfully subverting as we
go [Romans
12:1.]

CHORUS

Joyful! Subversive!

Let us join our voices in
God’s loving song [I John
4:8.]

Subversive! Joyful!

Standing firm against
injustice we are strong [I
Cors. 16:13.]

VERSE 4

When they draw a circle
tight to hide within [Galatians
3:23.]

When they say we can’t
come in because we’re sin [Galatians
3:28-29.]

We shall draw a circle
that will take them in [Acts
10:28.]

Joyfully subverting as we
go [Romans
12:1.]

CHORUS

Joyful! Subversive!

Let us join our voices in
God’s loving song [I
John 4:8.]

Subversive! Joyful!

Standing firm against
injustice we are strong [I
Cors. 16:13.]

VERSE 5

When our days of marching
here will be no more [Matthew
25:23.]

We’ll keep singing as we
land on heaven’s shore. [Luke
6:20.]

While those we served and
loved shall open up the door [Revelation
21:25.]